死亡约会 Part II Chapter 13（1）（在线收听）

Chapter 13

Nadine Boynton came out of the hotel. As she hesitated uncertainly, a waiting figure sprangforward.

Mr Jefferson Cope was immediately at his lady’s side.

‘Shall we walk up this way? I think it’s the pleasantest.’

She acquiesced.

They walked along and Mr Cope talked. His words came freely if a trifle monotonously. It isnot certain whether he perceived that Nadine was not listening. As they turned aside on to thestony flower-covered hill-side, she interrupted him.

‘Jefferson, I’m sorry. I’ve got to talk to you.’

Her face had grown pale.

‘Why, certainly, my dear. Anything you like, but don’t distress yourself.’

She said: ‘You’re cleverer than I thought. You know, don’t you, what I’m going to say?’

‘It is undoubtedly true,’ said Mr Cope, ‘that circumstances alter cases. I do feel, veryprofoundly, that in the present circumstances decisions may have to be reconsidered.’ He sighed.

‘You’ve got to go right ahead, Nadine, and do just what you feel.’

She said with real emotion: ‘You’re so good, Jefferson. So patient! I feel I’ve treated you verybadly. I really have been downright mean to you.’

‘Now, look here, Nadine, let’s get this right. I’ve always known what my limitations werewhere you were concerned. I’ve had the deepest affection and respect for you ever since I’veknown you. All I want is your happiness. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Seeing you unhappy hasvery nearly driven me crazy. And I may say that I’ve blamed Lennox. I’ve felt that he didn’tdeserve to keep you if he didn’t value your happiness a little more than he seemed to do.’

Mr Cope took a breath and went on:

‘Now I’ll admit that after travelling with you to Petra, I felt that perhaps Lennox wasn’t quite somuch to blame as I thought. He wasn’t so much selfish where you were concerned, as too unselfishwhere his mother was concerned. I don’t want to say anything against the dead, but I do think thatyour mother-in-law was perhaps an unusually difficult woman.’

‘Yes, I think you may say that,’ murmured Nadine.